To the Death of Michael Brown: We Bear Witness

Turn and look at your neighbor. Not only can you probably see them. You can experience being in the same space with them today. If you were called as a court witness, you could speak to the truth that they exist.

Today, we will bear witness to the death of Michael Brown. I will offer a part of the story of Michael Brown. When I extend my hand to you, please respond with, We bear witness.

Let’s try it now.

With reverence and sorrow, we remember the death of Michael Brown. We know black lives matter.

We bear witness.

On Saturday, August 9, 2014, Michael Brown was shot by an officer of the Ferguson Police Department in Ferguson, Missouri. We know black lives matter.

We bear witness.

The media gives us conflicting stories. We know black lives matter.

We bear witness.

We are not distracted by misinformation. We know black lives matter.

We bear witness.

Misinformation encourages us to put our frustration and sadness somewhere outside of ourselves, outside of these walls. On the police, on the dead young man, on the system. We know black lives matter.

We bear witness.

As a community, we reflect on the thread that connects the actions of an armed police officer with our own. We examine our snap judgments. We challenge the times we have remained silent while another suffered. We know black lives matter.

We bear witness.

We recognize that in order to challenge a system that is built to maintain racism, we must contemplate the effects of our everyday actions. We know black lives matter.

We bear witness.

We do not look away from the things that are hard to see. We know black lives matter.

We bear witness.

When justice eludes us,

We bear witness.

We take courage.

We bear witness.

We extend love.

We bear witness.

About the Author

The Rev. Theresa I. Soto is a minister and liberation worker currently living in Ashland, Oregon, with their partner, the Rev. Sean Dennison. Soto is a 2016 graduate of Meadville Lombard Theological School.